Carbon removal apparatus



April 10, 1956 w. K. BURTON CARBON REMOVAL APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1952 WMJfiBU/PTON INVENTOR 50 P77 BY kg) m ATTORNEYS United States Patent CARBON REMOVAL APPARATUS William K. Burton, Royal Oak, Mich, assignor to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application July 16, 1952, Serial No. 299,194

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-335) This application is concerned with the servicing of in ternal combustion engines, and is more particularly directed to an apparatus to enable the rapid and efiicient removal of cylinder deposits with a minimum of labor.

There are available on the open market many so-called carbon solvents designed to loosen combustion deposits from internal combustion engines so that these deposits may be blown out through the exhaust system when the engine is started. The operation of an engine upon the ordinary lead gasolines now available, result in the buildup on the top of the piston and the exposed portions of the cylinder block and cylinder head a tenacious deposit which is composed of about sixty per cent lead oxides derived from the tetra-ethyl of lead in the fuel, and the remainder fuel and lubricating oil in various stages of chemical degradation, commonly referred to as carbon. This carbon contains sufiicient hydrogen to enable it to be at least partially soluble in these organic solvents.

These solvents are applied by removing the spark plugs, pouring into each cylinder through the spark plug opening a measured quantity of such solvent, permitting the solvent to remain for a predetermined length of time and then starting the motor. The apparatus of the instant invention has been developed to expedite this process and is clearly depicted in the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an assembly drawing partially in section showing the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a plan view of one form of a valve disc installed in this apparatus.

Figure 3 is a plan view of another form of valve disc.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the hose nozzle.

Reverting to Figure l, the apparatus in gross consists of a tank 10, a connecting hose 11, a control valve 12 and a nozzle 13. Tank is constructed sufficiently ruggedly to withstand ordinary service shop handling and an air pressure of at least 200 p. s. i. This tank is equipped with a conventional Schrader valve 14 for charging with compressed air from ordinary tire inflating apparatus. The carbon solvent indicated at 15 is charged into tank 10 through screen 16 and filler opening 17. The amount of solvent to be added is limited by tube 18. After the tank has been charged to the level indicated, filler cap 19 is tightened, Pressure gage 20 is mounted in filler cap 19. After charging with carbon solvent the tank is filled with compressed air to the desired pressure through Schrader valve 14.

Egress of the carbon solvent from the tank is provided by a measuring valve generally indicated at 21. This measuring valve comprises a cap 22, tapped to receive hose 11 and continued downwardly to form tube 23. Tube 23 is almost completely closed at the bottom by disc 24. Disc 24 is provided with a central aperture 25 which in practice may conveniently he /s of an inch in diameter. A plunger 26 makes a fairly snug fit in the bore of tube 23 and co-acts with lower face 27 of cap 22. Nozzle 13 is provided with notch 28 for the disposition of the fluid in the desired pattern within the cylinder enclosure.

2,741,404 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 Figures 2 and 3 are plan views of the upper portion of plunger 26 showing spiral slot 29, or in Figure 3, radial slot 30. These slots need not extend entirely through the top of plunger 26 and are preferably a 60 degree groove extending to a depth of about .015 to .018 of an inch into the upper face of plunger 26.

The configuration of the opening 31 in nozzle 13 is such as to deflect the solvent from face 32 against the upper portions of the cylinder opening.

Assuming the tank 10 to be charged with carbon solvent and compressed air and the spark plugs all removed fi'om the motor to be cleaned of carbon deposits, the operation is as follows: The nozzle 13 is inserted into the first spark plug opening and the control valve 12 is opened. Prior to the opening of control valve 12 plunger 26 will have settled to the bottom of tube 23 by gravity, the clearance between the bore of tube 23 and plunger 26 being sufiicient to permit such movement. This position of plunger 26 is shown in dotted lines. Tube 23 and hose 11 will be full of solvent due to the superimposed air pressure. When control valve 12 is opened solvent flows out through nozzle 13 much faster than it can leak past the clearance between plunger 26 and tube 23, with the result that plunger 26 rapidly ascends until its upper face is in contact with face 27 of cap 22. The close contact between these two faces results in an almost complete shut-off of the flow of fluid. When this occurs, the operator closes control valve 12, completely shutting off the flow of fiuid and transfers nozzle 13 to the next spark plug opening. While nozzle 13 is being so transferred, plunger 26 descends to the lowermost position and is ready to deliver another measured quantity of solvent. Spiral slot 29, or radial slot 30 prevents the adherence of the upper face of plunger 26 to face 27 of cap 22.

It is to be understood that equally advantageous results may be obtained by similarly deforming face 27 of cap 22.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for the injection of carbon solvent into the cylinders of internal combustion engines comprising a pressure tight tank, a delivery hose communieating with said tank, a manually operated valve in said hose, and a measuring valve within said pressure tank, said measuring valve comprising a tube extending beneath the surface of the solvent to be measured, a loosely fitted plunger reciprocable within the tube, and a face at the upper end of the bore against which the loosely fitted plunger may seat to impede but not completely out off the fiow of fluid, one of the mating surfaces of the face and the plunger being deformed to prevent mutual adherence.

2. An apparatus for the injection of carbon solvent into the cylinders of internal combustion engines comprising a pressure tight tank, a delivery hose communicating with said tank, a manually operated valve in said hose, and a measuring valve within said pressure tank, said measuring valve comprising a tube extending beneath the surface of the solvent to be measured, a loosely fitted plunger reciprocable Within the tube, and a face at the upper end of the bore against which the loosely fitted plunger may seat to impede but not completely out off flow. of fluid, one of the mating surfaces of the face and the plunger being grooved to prevent mutual adherence.

3. An apparatus for the injection of carbon solvent into the cylinders of internal combustion engines comprising a pressure tight tank, a delivery hose communicating with said tank, a manually operated valve in said hose, and a measuring valve within said pressure tank, said measuring valve comprising a tube extending beneath the surface of the solvent to be measured, a loosely fitted plunger reciprocable within the tube, and a face at the upper end of the bore against which the loosely fitted Plung r-may scan to impede: but not completely cut ofli the ilm'. ofpfluidn anopeningebeingmpnoyidedrim 4; r References-Cited in the file of't his' patent UNIPEDSFAPES' PATENTS V Zerk Dec. 1, 1925 Polk June 17,1930 Focht May 23, 1939 Davis -....H'. Feb. 19, 1952 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE INJECTION OF CARBON SOLVENT INTO THE CYLINDERS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES COMPRISING A PRESSURE TIGHT TANK, A DELIVERY HOSE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TANK, A MANUALLY OPERATED VALVE IN SAID HOSE, AND A MEASURING VALVE WITHIN SAID PRESSURE TANK, SAID MEASURING VALVE COMPRISING A TUBE EXTENDING BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE SOLVENT TO BE MEASURED, A LOOSELY FITTED PLUNGER RECIPROCABLE WITHIN THE TUBE, AND A FACE AT THE UPPER END OF THE BORE AGAINST WHICH THE LOOSELY FITTED PLUNGER MAY SEAT TO IMPEDE BUT NOT COMPLETELY CUT OFF THE FLOW OF FLUID, ONE OF THE MATING SURFACES OF THE FACE AND THE PLUNGER BEING DEFORMED TO PREVENT MUTUAL ADHERENCE. 